Basil Thai Restaurant & Bar Restaurant Review

: The deep purple banner flapping outside this South of Market eatery gives you the first clue that Basil is something more than a run-of-the-mill Thai restaurant. The owners have put together a stylish and contemporary interior of midnight blue walls, bright yellow columns, chrome wall sconces and enormous flower arrangements. Floor-to-ceiling glass bricks separate the restaurant from the adjacent building. Appetizers are meant to be shared. Try the crispy spring rolls stuffed with vermicelli noodles and shredded cabbage, or spicy corn fritters with a tamarind and cucumber salad. Just about every type of meat imaginable is grilled on a skewer and matched with an addictive peanut sauce. Traditional favorites like tom ka gai soup, rich with coconut milk and scented with lemon grass, and pad thai are crowd-pleasers. Red, green and yellow curries, redolent with basil and lime, cloak a multitude of combinations of vegetables, meats and seafood.